Italia a tavola-Firenze-Artichokes Torta

Now a few recipes from Firenze (Florence), my city of origin. 

Florence was born in 59 B.C. as a colony founded by a few former legionnaires of Julius Caesar; it was named Florentia (Flowering), because it was located in the beautiful flowering fields around the Arno River. 

These legionnaires were not the first people to become attracted to those fields; approximately 1000 years B.C, the Etruscans had settled in that area and from the frescos found in their tombs we can learn that from them we inherited many of our traditional tools and recipes.  The Etruscans already made pasta and used a pasta wheel to cut it, they used colanders and graters, they grilled and roasted meats and made complicated soups and breads (including the “Schiacciata con l’uva” a type of sweet bread with grapes in it). 

The Etruscans loved fine cuisine and had a refined taste, ate at the sound of music in a semi-supine position, served by young men and women and used plates, glasses and utensils.

1000 years had to pass after the destruction of this formidable civilization, before we arrived at a similar level of gastronomic culture.

In the III Century B.C. Roma conquered the Arno colony of Florentia and built Firenze, square and surrounded by fortified walls.  Initially mostly a military center, Firenze expanded and flourished throughout the centuries to become the center of art, music and savory cuisine that it is today.

Torta di Carciofi
Ingredients for 6 servings

11 0z.of puff pastry

5 artichokes

2oz. of butter

2 TbS of flour

1 cup of milk

2 TbS of grated Parmigiano (parmesan cheese)

1 egg, lightly whipped

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Clean the artichokes (cut the stem and peal off the outside harder leaves, cut in a half and cut off the little hair in the center) and slice them in thin slices. Stir fry them in a pan with 1oz of butter and 2 TbS of olive oil; add salt, pepper and a little water if needed to make them tender.

In the meantime melt 1 oz of butter in the milk, put the flour in a bowl and slowly add the milk, salt, and the parmesan cheese, stirring well to prevent clumps. 

Grease a 9 inch pie dish and cover with a thin layer of puff pastry; put the artichokes inside and pour the milk and parmesan mix all over it. Cover everything with another thin layer of puff pastry, trim seal the edges well and brush the top with the egg.

Cook at 350F for approximately 30 minutes